Sarah Rising

My morning started like any other. I ate most of my toast before running out the door to find food for my pets. Once I found enough leaves, I fed them to my beetles, and I put some toothpaste in my ant farm. They like it! Don’t tell my dad. With everyone fed, I started getting ready for school. But then, Dad came into my room. He said I wasn’t going to school today. “Sarah, we’re going to a protest.” Dad told me that the police had killed another Black person. “They’re supposed to serve and protect us,” he said, “but they hurt us instead. “That’s why we have to keep each other safe and stand up for what’s right.” Soon we saw a huge crowd of people. They were all shouting for justice. I grabbed Dad’s hand, and we walked into the crowd. It was loud and scary, but I knew I was safe with Dad. He held my hand tight and began yelling with the crowd. “No justice, no peace!”